California Senator Dianne Feinstein is fighting back after reports that she's become mentally unfit to serve.
Four senators, including three Democrats, along with three of her former staffers, say Feinstein's memory is rapidly deteriorating, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
They also said it appears she can no longer do her job without her staff doing most of the work.
One Democrat in Congress raised concerns with colleagues in an effort to push her towards retirement.
“It’s bad, and it’s getting worse,” said the Democratic senator to the Chronicle.
Joe Cotchett and Bob Mendelsohn have known Feinstein for decades.
Cotchett has been Feinstein’s attorney for 25 years. While Mendelsohn served with her on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in the 1970’s for eight years.
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They told NBC Bay Area Thursday that they are appalled by reports that say that Feinstein’s memory is affecting her job performance.
“It’s amazing to me that people need to come up and whisper in people and reporters’ ears about the fact that this one is not as sharp as she once was. I’m not sure who was as sharp as they once were,” Mendelsohn said.
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“Is she slowing down? Of course. But to call for her resignation when just two years ago, three years ago, she was elected overwhelmingly by the people of the state of California, it is kind of a disgrace to me,” Cotchett said.
Feinstein released the following statement Thursday:
“I remain committed to do what I said I would when I was re-elected in 2018: fight for Californians, especially on the economy and the key issues for California of water and fire.
While I have focused for much of the past year on my husband’s health and ultimate passing, I have remained committed to achieving results and I’d put my record up against anyone’s.
In the past few months, I successfully led the reauthorization of the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act, secured more direct government funding for my state than any other Democratic senator other than the chairman of the Appropriations Committee and secured additional funding to retain federal firefighters to help California prepare for the upcoming wildfire season.
The real question is whether I’m still an effective representative for 40 million Californians, and the record shows that I am.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Ro Khanna also gave their support to Feinstein Thursday night.
Pelosi released the following statement:
“Senator Feinstein is a workhorse for the people of California and a respected leader among her colleagues in the Senate. She is constantly traveling between California and the Capitol, working relentlessly to ensure Californians’ needs are met and voices are heard."
In his statement, Khanna said: “This type of rumor mongering is disrespectful to Senator Feinstein’s lifetime of public service and, frankly, ageist and cruel at a time when she just lost her husband."
Feinstein's term runs through 2024.
